Mourinho slams FIFA for 'fixing' best manager vote
The controversial Real Madrid coach has denounced 'irregularities' in FIFA's voting process for the 2012 Ballon d'Or awards gala in which he was a candidate for the Men's Coach of the Year award.
Mourinho told Portuguese public broadcaster RTP in an interview on Tuesday: "One, two or three people phoned me to tell me that they had voted for me and later, when the list of votes was published, another name appeared by their votes. "That was why I decided not to go to the gala, I don't regret it at all". The award was given to Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque, who led his national side to victory at Euro 2012. "There was a lack of transparency. FIFA was aware of these irregularities, knowing they were there, but did nothing to avoid them", argued Mourinho. The international footballing body have since contacted RTP to rebuff Mourinho's version and said, "We can confirm that the list published by FIFA is correct". In related news, Real Madrid must beat Galatasaray in their Champions League quarter-final home leg or else they face a tough time in the return leg in Turkey, coach Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday.
Mourinho, who has already guided Porto and Inter Milan to Champions League glory, said that Real face a tough challenge against a side packed with quality — including Champions League-winning players Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba — and with Turkey's best coach Fatih Terim in charge.
"It will be tough, but we must try and get a positive result at home in the first leg, which is not what we managed to do against Manchester United (a 1-1 draw in Madrid).
"We must go there with at least a small advantage."
Mourinho, whose side play the home leg on April 3 with the away trip to Istanbul on April 11, watched Galatasaray last Sunday and came away impressed.
"I saw everything I expected to see: a team that is used to the Champions League and who not only have two former winners of this competition, Drogba and Sneijder, but also players who have played for other top clubs," he said.
"Players like Emmanuel Eboue who was at Arsenal, Felipe Melo who came from Juventus, Albert Riera from Liverpool and Fernando Muslera from Lazio.
"The team also has an excellent coach, the best in Turkey, who also coached at one time in Italy, with a bunch of supporters who are unique," he said with masterful understatement, given the intimidatory welcome all sides face when they play Galatasaray.
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In related news, Real Madrid must beat Galatasaray in their Champions League quarter-final home leg or else they face a tough time in the return leg in Turkey, coach Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday.
Mourinho, who has already guided Porto and Inter Milan to Champions League glory, said that Real face a tough challenge against a side packed with quality — including Champions League-winning players Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba — and with Turkey's best coach Fatih Terim in charge.
"It will be tough, but we must try and get a positive result at home in the first leg, which is not what we managed to do against Manchester United (a 1-1 draw in Madrid).
"We must go there with at least a small advantage."
Mourinho, whose side play the home leg on April 3 with the away trip to Istanbul on April 11, watched Galatasaray last Sunday and came away impressed.
"I saw everything I expected to see: a team that is used to the Champions League and who not only have two former winners of this competition, Drogba and Sneijder, but also players who have played for other top clubs," he said.
"Players like Emmanuel Eboue who was at Arsenal, Felipe Melo who came from Juventus, Albert Riera from Liverpool and Fernando Muslera from Lazio.
"The team also has an excellent coach, the best in Turkey, who also coached at one time in Italy, with a bunch of supporters who are unique," he said with masterful understatement, given the intimidatory welcome all sides face when they play Galatasaray.
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